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Pinstriping help

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by sic-nic, Apr 21, 2012.

  1. sic-nic
    Joined: Sep 27, 2009
    Posts: 212

    sic-nic
    Member

    Been thinking of having my '31 striped. Do you guys leave the color scheme to the striper or do you tell him what you want done? I've been told to let the striper decide because they would know. Any thoughts on this?
     
  2. motoandy
    Joined: Sep 19, 2007
    Posts: 3,379

    motoandy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from MB, SC

    You should be open to their suggestions as they are the artists. With that being said if they throw a color combo out and you don't like speak up. You have to live with the car. I let ol'chevy on here run with it on mine. I suggested what I was looking for then turned him loose. Good Luck!
     
  3. KoolKat-57
    Joined: Feb 22, 2010
    Posts: 3,092

    KoolKat-57
    Member
    from Dublin, OH

    I would be open to suggestions on color and design, but it's your ride and you're paying for the striping so you should let the striper know what YOU WANT DONE!
     
  4. gasolinescream
    Joined: Sep 7, 2010
    Posts: 614

    gasolinescream
    Member

    I'd discuss it first. Thats what i did with striping and after 3 jobs done for me i ended taking up striping as a hobby. Love it. When i got my first job done by a guy here i spoke to hm about ideas and colours, took a few pictures down, got a price and then left him to it. Took a walk for 3 hours and came back to a finished job.

    The reason for talking to him was not to tell him what to do, he's the artist and pro but discuss colours. I'm not a fan off too many colours on a car and can't stand certain colours. He incorperated the colours of the car exterior and interior within the striping. 3 colours and a traditional, quite basic and light striping . I only had a quick chat with him but i was really pleased with the job.

    3 years later i'm doing the odd small amount of work for friends and family. Sitting down and getting some ideas together or they have just said do what i want. Personally i like to chat to someone as my taste may not be there's. I only do this as a hobby but I'm sure any proffessional striper would be happy to discuss things and aslong as you aren't resticting them in too many ways and give them the artistic license they deserve you won't upset them. End of the day fella it's your money and your the customer.
     
  5. RocketPinstriping
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 83

    RocketPinstriping
    Member
    from Waco Tx

    the customer is always right, most times :) but they have final say regardless. i have seen some artists, not necessarily pinstripers, who think its they who decide but no. its your car, your money. use their knowledge to your advantage though. just my $0.02 and from what ive read, everyone else's too.
     
  6. Unkl Ian
    Joined: Mar 29, 2001
    Posts: 13,509

    Unkl Ian

    Tell the artist what color you DON'T like.

    Agree on a price, and turn 'em loose.
     
  7. Before you do anything,you should take several things into consideration.
    First of all;how much striping do you want on the car.Remember it is always easy to ADD more striping if you don't feel it is enough but MUCH more difficult to erase what is already applied.
    Second;how much money is in your budget to do this.
    Third;will a single color suffice or are you interested in two or mor colors.This ties in with #1 and #2.
    Fourth; what style of striping do you want? There are many different styles of decoration and this will influence who you select to do the work.Some stripers do it all while others will specialize in a particular style.

    With this in mind you can now contact someone to do the work.

    When I meet a customer for the first time,I try to get a feeling for all of these things by asking questions.If they don't have a particular color in mind I will make suggestions that I think will work on their vehicle.If they aren't sure how much they want on the car I will offer suggestions for that leaning toward the conservative side.I will also offer to lay a couple quick lines in different colors to let them see how it will work on their car if they are in doubt.
    When all this has been finalized,then we will discuss costs.If there are other vehicles around with striping that they like I will quote a price for what I would charge for a similar job.
    One thing I will also do is if I think striping won't do anything for the car I will tell them so.If they still want it done I will do it but with reservations.Sometimes I will refuse to do so if I think that the customer will not be satisfied when it is done.
    Sorry for the long rant but it is a complex subject.
     
  8. S.F.
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 2,896

    S.F.
    Member

    Leave it up to the striper, but tell him what colors you dislike....step aside and dont talk to him while he's striping, or shut the door on the car.
     
  9. xhotrodder
    Joined: Jul 2, 2009
    Posts: 1,682

    xhotrodder
    Member

    Give the artist your 2 cents, but if you leave it up to him and just let him run with it, you may be sorry. I paid a guy to strip my car back in the 80's. I gave him free reign. I picked the car up 3 hours later, and although I liked the lines he laid down, I hated the color choices. Pink and teal. So put your 2 cents in.
     
  10. gassercrazy41
    Joined: Jan 9, 2011
    Posts: 1,432

    gassercrazy41
    Member

    Give him your thoughts. Listen to their suggestions. They probably know best but sometimes they can find a good color scheme in the middle of what he thinks and what you think. It's your car so you should have a say in it but sometimes they know better.
     
  11. I don't stripe much any more but when I did a lot quite a few of the customers had their own idea, like white on black, I would suggest colors and tell them that before it drys I can wipe it off. I don't recall many times when the customer still wanted there color after I put my suggestion down but ultimately in my mind the customer was paying for it and they got what they wanted. It's your car but a striper has seen a lot more variations than you have.
     
  12. I did not mind the talking but when they got in and out of the car that could be hairy.
     
  13. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,077

    chaddilac
    Member

    Most of them can do a couple samples on your paint.... then you can look at them and pick one, then they can wipe them off with mineral spirits.... Sometimes what the sees in his own mind won't actually look good when implemented, so it's good to let the Striper help you when picking the colors.
     
  14. S.F.
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 2,896

    S.F.
    Member


    I like talking before and after the striping, its just hard for me (and alot of stripers I know) to talk while physically dragging the lines, kinda screws with the mojo trying to concentrait on a conversation at the same time. The whole right brain mode thing....Yeah agree, try not to shut the door or get in and out of the car when the striper has a wet brush, and if you do, warn him...the car moves alot, think about how that line will look.
     
  15. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    Even when we had Skratch do ours we had some input into the colors, where we wanted them, and what they should look like. He was very good about taking our ideas and keeping us in the loop all through the job. But in the final ****ysis, the brush is in his hands and you want to give them the creative freedom to do a one off job that is unique to your car.

    But yes, you have to be part of the decision making process because you have to live with the final outcome.

    Don
     
  16. sic-nic
    Joined: Sep 27, 2009
    Posts: 212

    sic-nic
    Member

    i am having trouble deciding what colors would look good on my car. the color is aqua pearl. i know i don't want pink,red orange or yellow. i just want '50's traditional and simple.i am going to see a guy tomorrow and see what he thinks. alot of guys had him do there cars.
    i would never get in the car and sit there or talk to him. i want the striping to come out good.
     
  17. Unkl Ian
    Joined: Mar 29, 2001
    Posts: 13,509

    Unkl Ian



    White.
     
  18. snopeks garage
    Joined: May 25, 2011
    Posts: 556

    snopeks garage
    Member
    from macomb MI

    its your car you pick
     
  19. If this is your first I understand your position but if you use a striper with a good rep, usually there is no prob. In the last 35 yrs of striping tens of thousands, I can count on one hand those who were unhappy and I did my best to satisfy. But they all know this coming in...

    I have two prices..one my way and one your way.

    But my big head has shrunken. After 35+ yrs of striping I've calmed down on the "artist" thing. I am not an artist. Since I quit being an artist (prima D) I make more money and have less stress.

    And if there is a problem with me, what I do and how, or they have too many questions (consulting fees apply) I tell them to read my bio and disclaimer.
     
  20. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,291

    F&J
    Member

    X2.

    Cl***ic traditional done was that way, far more often than not.
     
  21. Willy301
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,426

    Willy301
    Member

    I am not a striper, but I would have to say that you eliminated anything but white and black. Blue or green would not look very good on that color, and variations to the lighter side of the blue or green spectrum risks blending in more than standing out.

    It is your car, but I would suggest not eliminating all those colors, unless they would clash with the interior. Some shades of red would really look elegant on that body color.
    I can see pink and orange getting the boot as well. I am on the fence with yellow, but I probably wouldn't use it just because....
     
  22. Greezeball
    Joined: Mar 12, 2006
    Posts: 743

    Greezeball
    Member

  23. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    Usually the colors you pick should be ones that compliment the main body color and maybe pick up on other colors on the car already, such as upholstery, trim, or undercarriage. For example, when Skratch did my 23 he had a bronze/ gold color that was very close to the color of my upholstery and suspension. Then he incorporated some of that color with an off white and did his usual good job.

    Don

    [​IMG]
     

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